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My surgeon checks for that prior to surg and he suggest you have the gallbladder removed @time of surg..mine was taken out years ago so i didn't have those problems but I know the pain is not pleasing. You need ultrasound not sure why

They did a CT scan

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you dont need to wait til an attack to go to the ER. they will probably subside before u get there. just go & tell them you just had one & that you need an ultra sound to see if its your gall bladder. thats all.

[quote name=ravenjeh' timestamp='1344739734'

post='444729]

Today I had my fourth major attack. From everything I've read, it's gotta be gallstones. Two weeks ago, I called every GI doctor in my area and next Wednesday, the 15th, is the earliest anyone can see me. But that seems like an eternity with these attacks. I've vowed to go to the ER, a much bigger/prestigious ER mind you, if it happens again tonight. This is the pits :(

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Really? Are surgeons not putting their patients on a preventative for gallstones?? Mine prescribes Actigall (aka Ursodiol) as a matter of course (unless you no longer have your gallbladder) for at least the first 6 months post-op. Gallstones are a pretty common side effect of rapid weight loss. I was more than happy to take a preventative - after WLS I wasn't in any hurry to have surgery again - for anything - EVER!

My Dr also prescribes Actigal. I just need to be more diligent about taking it. Because I'm not allowed to swallow pills I have to open the capsule and put it in pudding... very nasty taste.

Mine did the same, only issue is he prescribed the pills twice a day and I have enough difficulty getting it down once. Is anyone only taking it once a day? If so, how has this been working for you? I've never had gallbladder issues but they do run in my family.

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I think I only had to break open the capsule for the first six weeks. I put the pill contents on a spoon, blobbed some applesauce on top of it, and did my best to get the spoonful swallowed without touching any taste buds. The Actigall was by far the worst of my meds, but I didn't have to do it very long before I could just swallow the pill.

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So I'm in the ER right now after having what I assume to be a gallbladder attack. I'm a year post op and the attacks started about a month ago. I was prescribed Actigall after surgery and took it until my surgeon told me to stop. I did have an ultrasound a week ago and it did show signs of stones but no inflammation. My ultrasound before surgery showed no stones. Is this a common problem for people post-op?

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I asked my dr to do that due to fam history. He said no because ins won't cover it and double surgery = double risk of complications. When they told me they would have to remove it, I said TOLD YOU BUT NOOOOOOO YOU DIDNT WANT TO LISTEN!! Rofl!!! I'm surprised he hasn't smacked me between the complications/attitude/dry sarcastic humor hehehe

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I had gallstones before surgery. My surgeon said same thing as Ashlee, no VSG & gallbladder removed at same time. Still have my gallbladder without any problems thus far.

Hear about 33% of WLS patients eventually have gallbladders out. I am hoping for the best. Stay vigilant.

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Today I had my fourth major attack. From everything I've read, it's gotta be gallstones. Two weeks ago, I called every GI doctor in my area and next Wednesday, the 15th, is the earliest anyone can see me. But that seems like an eternity with these attacks. I've vowed to go to the ER, a much bigger/prestigious ER mind you, if it happens again tonight. This is the pits :(

hello, did you get answers to your pain? im 9 mo out and at 6 mo dr did a sonogram and i didnt have gallstones, at my 9 mo visit just about a week ago, she said she wanted me to get a hyda scan, she said that your gallbladder han ahve 2 issues, 1. u can get gall stones. and when u pass a stone very painfull, 2. the gallbladder can malfunction. so the hyda scan is a dye test sonogram, that looks at the actual function and they make the gallbladder function and they can watch it. i wake up in the night, by upper belly gets hard , bloated, and hurts, i cant sleep, can last for hrs, then very bad painfull gas, i also get pain in my liver.

i will get the hyda scan dec 31. i hope my issue will get resoved, my vsg dr would remove it

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My Doctor prescribed me Urisodol also. I hated when I couldnt swallow the whole pill, nasty. Hopefully people who read this before their surgery, they will prompt their doctor for that medicine.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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      1. LeighaTR

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

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        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

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        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
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